A teenager’s suicide and the bravery of D-Day: Finding a cause worth our lives

Dr. Jim Denison is the CEO of Denison Forum.
His Daily Article and podcast globally reach over 160,000 subscribers. Dr. Denison guides readers to discern today’s news—biblically. He is the author of multiple books and has taught on the philosophy of religion and apologetics at several seminaries. Prior to launching Denison Forum in 2009, he pastored churches in Texas and Georgia. He holds a Ph.D and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jim and his wife, Janet, live in Dallas, Texas. They have two sons and four grandchildren.

However, the emphasis should be less on the reporting of her death than on the fact that she chose to die.

Noa Pothoven was sexually assaulted at the age of eleven, then raped by two men three years later. She developed post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and eating disorders.

As her health continued to deteriorate, she posted on Instagram: “After years of battling and fighting, I am drained. I have quit eating and drinking for a while now, and after many discussions and evaluations, it was decided to let me go because my suffering is unbearable.”

She was being fed through a tube before, as the BBC reports, “her family accepted her wish to die, so they stopped forcing her to stay alive and instead used palliative care to make her final days as peaceful and bearable as possible.”

There were more than twice as many suicides in the US as there were homicides.

In a post-Christian society that rejects objective truth and meaning, many are struggling to find purpose in their lives. Opioid addiction, substance abuse rates, the rise of sexually transmitted diseases, and the escalating plague of pornography all point to a broken culture.

For a path forward, let’s look backward. Seventy-five years, to be precise.

Each of the men who fought and died was serving a higher purpose than himself.

“To die is gain.”

By the next D-Day anniversary milestone, all those who fought at Normandy will likely be dead. But the cause for which they sacrificed so much will be just as relevant as when they risked their lives for it.

The meaning of death is that it brings life. When death ends life, it is tragic. When it leads to life for others on earth and for believers in heaven, it is triumphant.

“For to me to live is Christ,

and to die is gain.”

—Philippians 1:21

That’s why Paul could testify: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

NOTE: If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The number is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and is available to anyone. All calls are confidential. Their website is www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.